EIJP - Emerging International Journalists Program

Building on our original content expertise, we began our Emerging International Journalists Program for undergraduate & graduate students and recent graduates to tell the stories of the global work done by our Members.

The program acts as a training ground and platform for new voices on international topics connected to the Philadelphia region.

Recent News

Philadelphia, with its majority-minority population, is one of the most diverse cities in the country. Its numerous immigrant populations hail from the farthest reaches of the world. New populations contribute socially, culturally and economically to the vibrancy of our city, and the City of Philadelphia has been eager to acknowledge their contributions through the Philadelphia Honors Diversity Flag Raising Program.

Uzbekistan, located in Central Asia, is a land of several native languages, each of which help to tell the story of the country, its culture and its history, its economic performance, and, potentially, its future.

Home to many sites of historical interest, I recently had the opportunity to spend a day visiting Verona, Italy. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Verona offers a modern interpretation of the ancient traditions that formed the cornerstone of Italian culture. For example, I loved watching the crowds gather around the restaurants and vendors of the Piazza delle Erbe. As they stood waiting, visitors had the chance to take in the remains of the ornate frescoes that lined the walls of the ruling Scaligeri family’s houses during the Middle Ages.

With over 400,000 rare books, manuscripts, and art objects, the Rosenbach Museum contains the treasured collections of Philip Rosenbach and his younger brother A. S. W. Rosenbach. Following his brother’s death in 1953, the younger Rosenbach created the space in 1954 as a way to share both of their personal book and manuscript collections, as well as their knowledge, with the public.

Opera Philadelphia was awarded FEDORA’s prestigious Fedora Generali award on June 28, 2019, for its innovative opera, Denis & Katya. Presented to the company during a ceremony in Venice, Opera Philadelphia is the first American company to receive this award. The Philadelphia premiere of Denis & Katya will take place on September 18th in the Suzanne Roberts Theatre, running for a total of eight performances.

“Whatever they may do, authors do not write books. Books are not written at all. They are manufactured by scribes and other artisans, by mechanics and other engineers, and by printing presses and other machines.” Roger E. Stoddard as quoted by Roger Chartier in The New Cultural History.

Philadelphia’s University of the Arts (UArts) was selected to curate a special exhibition for the eighth Beijing International Art Biennale (BIAB), held from August 30 to September 23 at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing. As one of six total exhibitions, UArts is the only representative from the United States and its exhibit will mark the first time the U.S. is highlighted at the BIAB in this fashion.

As part of its mission to promote prospective business in Philadelphia, Select Greater Philadelphia hosted a cocktail reception in honor of the Trade Representatives of the State of Pennsylvania on July 29 at Bridge on Race.

As fireworks and festivities united the Philadelphia community on the Fourth of July, Global Philadelphia Association (GPA) partnered with Wawa Welcome America throughout the week to promote the city’s status as a World Heritage City. Here’s a recap of our young journalists’ favorite events from the weeklong celebration:
Historic District Block Party

Located at the heart of Center City Philadelphia, Friends Select School is home to the Student Committee for Extra-Curricular Education (SCECE), which was founded with the goal of helping students graduate with a greater appreciation for both the Philadelphia and international community, as well as the cultures and events that impact it. Through this program, rising senior Sophie Gilbert and I wanted to create a space for students to not just discuss what’s covered in our school’s curriculum but to explore their interests and have globally-minded conversations.

One of the highlights from this year's Wawa Welcome America festivities was the free access to a variety of museums in our region, including the Independence Seaport Museum, located at 211 South Christopher Columbus Boulevard.

The Wawa Welcome America Festival kicked off on June 29, 2019, with a variety of events for all to enjoy. Some of the highlighted activities included free concerts, eating some of Philadelphia’s culinary classics, and free visits to museums across the city. In particular, the Free Library of Philadelphia opened its doors so that festival-goers could get a first-hand look at the rare books the library has to offer.

The Select Greater Philadelphia Council hosted its fourth annual Breaking Ground program on June 12, 2019, to showcase the innovative development projects popping up across the Greater Philadelphia region. Hosted at the University of the Sciences, the event specifically highlighted upcoming projects in Trenton, New Jersey; Pottstown, Pennsylvania; Claymont, Delaware; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

On June 7th, I had the pleasure of attending the 2019 Philly Pride Kick-Off Block Party. The block party marked the official start of Pride weekend here in Philadelphia, a whole weekend dedicated to celebrating the LGBT community, culminating in the annual LGBT Pride Parade.
I normally don’t participate much in Pride, as I’m not one for crowds, but this year is special because it is the 50th Anniversary of Stonewall and I wanted to be a part of it in some way.

For months, Philadelphians have been left wondering about the giant "golf ball" looking structure on the second floor of Comcast's new office location at 18th and Arch Streets. Reminiscent of the pearlescent Spaceship Earth globe in Disney’s Epcot, Comcast finally debuted the three-story installation on May 20, 2019, as the Universal Sphere, an immersive theater installation.

Thirty artisans from the Sichuan province of China came to Philadelphia and worked with local technicians to masterfully transform Franklin Square into an illuminated wonderland: the 2019 Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival (中國彩燈節).

Forty years ago, in October 1979, Independence Hall became a UNESCO World Heritage site, the only UNESCO World Heritage site in the Greater Philadelphia region. With this designation, tourism and visits to historic Philadelphia and Independence Hall have skyrocketed and had a record number of visitors in 1987 with the Centennial Celebration of the establishment of the U.S. Constitution.